Jacob's Pillow: The Dance in the Dark

The dance festival's insiders give tips on the late-summer performances that excite them: A tap dancer? Really? You bet.

Observe life closely, and the ideas come. On a cool and mosquito-buzzing night, I gathered with family and friends under the beech trees of Jacob's Pillow, that international festival of modern dance that takes place every summer in Becket, Mass. In the flickering light of kerosene flames, we had cucumber martinis and roast salmon under the tent of the Pillow's outdoor cafe, before ambling contentedly over to the Ted Shawn Theatre for the night's performance.